Neil Howlett English operatic baritone Date of Birth: 24.07.1934 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Neil Howlett
2. Early Life and Education
3. Operatic Debut and Career
4. Concert Career and Teaching
5. Personal Life

Biography of Neil Howlett

Neil Howlett is an English operatic baritone who has performed leading roles in major opera houses and festivals in the UK and around the world. He has appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Teatro Colón in Argentina, and the English National Opera, where he served as the principal baritone for 17 years.

Early Life and Education

Neil Howlett was born on July 24, 1934, in Mitcham, England. He received his first music lessons while attending St. Paul's Cathedral School, where boys from the famous choir sing at daily cathedral services. He later studied at King's College, Cambridge, where he also sang in the choir and obtained a degree in English, archaeology, and anthropology.

In 1957, Neil was awarded the Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship, which allowed him to continue his studies privately in Vienna and Milan. He furthered his training in vocal performance with Hermann Reutter at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts from 1958 to 1959.

Operatic Debut and Career

Neil Howlett made his operatic debut simultaneously with the world premiere of Benjamin Britten's allegory, "Curlew River," in 1964. His successful international career, highlighted by his 17 years as a leading baritone at the English National Opera, includes performances of major roles at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, and Scottish Opera. He has also performed abroad in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Scandinavia, Russia, South America, and the USA.

With a repertoire exceeding 80 roles, Neil Howlett has performed the majority of the significant baritone parts in the world repertoire, including challenging roles in works by Verdi and Puccini. He participated in the premieres of Gordon Crosse's "The Story of Vasco" in 1974 and David Blake's "Toussaint" in 1977 at the English National Opera. His roles have included Iago, Scarpia, Macbeth, Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, Renato, Amfortas, Golaud, Almaviva, Jokanaan, Hector, Prince Andrei in Prokofiev's "War and Peace," and Wotan in "Der Ring der Nibelungen."

Concert Career and Teaching

Neil Howlett's concert repertoire is as extensive as his operatic repertoire, encompassing works by baroque, classical, contemporary, and romantic composers. He has performed with all major British orchestras on the concert stage and at festivals. From 1974 to 1992, Howlett served as a professor of vocal studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 1991 and 1992, he also taught at the Trinity College of Music in London, conducting opera seminars, masterclasses on French song, and lectures on building a successful performance career.

In 1992, he became the head of the vocal department at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he later served as the director of repertoire from 1996 to 2000. At the college, Howlett developed technical standards for students pursuing master's degrees, lectured on vocal pedagogy, opera history, bel canto singing traditions, and conducted masterclasses on opera repertoire, Italian song, and German lieder. Since 1998, he has received enthusiastic reviews for his portrayal of Wotan and has continued to give private lessons in London and Lincolnshire. Many of his students have gone on to perform in opera houses throughout Europe.

Personal Life

Neil Howlett is regularly seen on television as a presenter. Outside the music scene, he enjoys sports such as running and cycling, as well as studying foreign languages, reading, and theater. He is married to Elizabeth Robson, and they have two daughters.